About Us

What is this campaign all about?

In the fall of 2008, a group of trans men and allied health care providers got together with Sherbourne Health Centre to talk about pap tests for trans men. We had a number of questions: Are we getting pap tests? What experiences are we having when we try to access pap testing? What information do we need about paps? What are the barriers to pap tests for trans men, and how can we eliminate them? To begin finding answers, we surveyed trans men across Ontario about their experiences with pap tests. The 75 guys who responded provided us with tons of information that helped us to ask and answer the questions that matter to trans men. We know that this topic is not easy for many of us, and really appreciate all the time, energy, and support that community members have given to make this campaign possible.

As you go through this site, keep in mind that we are a diverse community with varying identities and life experiences. We all use different words to describe our bodies, and they are all valid. Here we have tried to use language that is respectful and relevant to trans men while also being specific so that you get the right information (i.e., we couldn’t come up with a clear alternative to ‘cervix’). For clarity’s sake we do use clinical terms occasionally, but we’ve avoided them wherever possible.

In the end, it is your choice whether or not to have regular pap tests. This site exists to provide you with information that will help you to make an informed decision, take care of yourself when you get a pap test, and to find a safer place to get one.

The campaign is a project of Sherbourne Health Centre.

Sherbourne Health Centre (SHC)

Sherbourne Health Centre is an urban primary health care centre that provides innovative health services and wellness programs to the diverse community of southeast Toronto with a special emphasis on local residents, homeless and underhoused individuals, the lesbian, bisexual, gay, transsexual and transgender (LBGTT) communities and new Canadians.